Largest gift in JF&CS’s history represents a transformative investment at a critical time in the social services landscape
Jewish Family & Children’s Service (JF&CS) of Greater Boston is announcing a historic $3 million gift from the Berlin Family Foundation to establish the Berlin Center for Family Resilience, a multifaceted initiative that aims to strengthen the long-term wellbeing of families across Greater Boston. This transformative donation—the largest in JF&CS’s 160-year history—comes at a time of rising need and dramatic government funding cuts for social services.
The Berlin Center builds on JF&CS’s integrated service model by creating a dedicated hub uniting mental health care, economic mobility services, and parenting and caregiver support. Inspired by the agency’s Under One Roof five-year strategic plan, this gift aims to improve long-term well-being for families by addressing complex challenges early and supporting the entire family unit—children, adolescents, teens, and caregivers.
“Families today are navigating a perfect storm—from the youth mental health crisis, to increasing financial instability, to fragmented systems that make it hard to access support,” said Gail Schulman, CEO of JF&CS. “The Berlin Center embodies our vision to meet these growing needs through integrated, family-centered care. We are profoundly grateful to the Berlin Family Foundation for their visionary investment in building our community’s resilience.”
“We believe that strong families are the cornerstone of strong communities,” said Morea Cutler, Executive Director of the Berlin Family Foundation. “JF&CS has a proven track record of meeting urgent needs with compassion, expertise, and innovation. We are proud to partner with them in creating a Center that will help families thrive for generations, and hope that this gift will be a catalyst for innovation and resilience at JF&CS, inspiring other donors and partners to join us in supporting vulnerable families.”
The Berlin Center will strengthen parenting resources through evidence-based programs, peer support, and culturally responsive services; expand access to trauma-informed mental health services; and provide coordinated economic supports such as financial coaching and support, and benefits navigation. By bringing together these services, the Center will help families address challenges early and reduce the compounding effects of adversity later in life and protect these vital services during a time of profound government funding cuts.
